Conceptual, structural and epistemic aspects of science teachers’ argumentation practices in the context of evolutionary theory

Download

index.pdf

Date

2014

Author

Yeşilyurt, Ezgi

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

230
views

126
downloads

The purpose of this study was to examine conceptual, structural and epistemic aspects of science teachers’ argumentation practices and how they used conceptual knowledge to articulate their arguments at different epistemic levels in the context of evolutionary theory. This study was conducted with qualitative multiple case study research. In this respect, data were collected from four separate cases. In particular, four science teachers who taught middle school science from 5th to 8th grade were selected as cases for this study. Science teachers were interviewed based on four evolutionary scenarios. Data was analyzed through using six different pre-established frameworks. The results of this study illustrated that science teachers frequently used scientifically appropriate criteria to distinguish alternative explanations from each other. Among of these, science teachers with high conceptual knowledge appealed to theoretical criteria while others with low conceptual knowledge appealed to empirical criteria. Another result of this study was that some of them appealed to Lamarck’s inheritance of acquired traits and use and disuse theories, and adaptation as cause of evolutionary change. In addition, teleological reasoning was prominence among teachers. Specifically, they perceived evolutionary process as a goal-driven process. The results also indicated that all supported their arguments with multiple justifications; however, they scarcely constructed counter-arguments, from which was concluded that they had confirmation bias. They also constructed more theoretical propositions than data propositions. This finding pointed to unfamiliarity with the use of data. Lastly, evolutionary concepts along with misconceptions and cognitive biases about evolution were articulated in their theoretical justifications.

Subject Keywords

Evolution (Biology)., Conceptualism., Knowledge, Theory of., Science teachers., Science

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12617975/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/24162

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

The quiddity of knowledge in Kant's critical philosophy Serin, İsmail; Ceylan, Yasin; Department of Philosophy (2004) In this thesis the quiddity of knowledge in Kant's critical philosophy has been investigated within the historical context of the problem. In order to illustrate the origins of the subject-matter of the dissertation, the historical background of Kant's views on the theory of knowledge has been researched too. As a result of this research, it is concluded that Kant did not invent a new philosophical problem, but he tried to improve a decisive solution for one of the oldest question of history of philosophy i...
Environmental moral reasoning patterns of pre-service science teachers and their relationships to epistemological beliefs and values Tuncay Yüksel, Büşra; Yılmaz Tüzün, Özgül; Department of Elementary Education (2016) The overarching purpose of this study was to examine environmental moral reasoning patterns of pre-service science teachers in relation to epistemological beliefs and values. To serve for this purpose, four scenarios that reflect different environmental moral dilemma situations taking place in four outdoor recreation contexts (i.e., hiking, picnicking, fishing, camping) were used. By its design, the study was a correlational research and data on environmental moral reasoning, epistemological beliefs, and va...
The role of imagination in Kant's first critique Barın, Özlem; Ceylan, Yasin; Department of Philosophy (2003) The purpose of this study is to examine the role of imagination in Immanuel Kant̕s Critique of Pure Reason by means of a detailed textual analysis and interpretation. In my systematic reading of the Kantian text, I analyse how the power of imagination comes to the foreground of Kant̕s investigation into the transcendental conditions of knowledge. This is to explain the mediating function of imagination between the two distinct faculties of the subject; between sensibility and understanding. Imagination achi...
A coherentist approach to the justification of scientific theories Kamözüt, Mehmet Cem; Sayan, Erdinç; Department of Philosophy (2008) Philosophers of science have long realized that it is not possible to decide which scientific theory is true just by relying on their empirical adequacy. That theories should possess other virtues in order to be accepted by the scientific community is well understood. Nevertheless, empirical adequacy remained as having a privileged value among these virtues. In this thesis I argue that scientific theories are accepted or rejected on the bases of an evaluation of their degree of coherence. In such a coherent...
Two dimensions of teacher knowledge: The case of communicative language teaching Woods, Devon; Aslantürk, Hamide (2011-09-01) The interconnected conceptual areas of teacher knowledge and teacher beliefs (included by some authors under the rubric of teacher cognition) have been debated in the field of language education intensively for the last two decades, during which time the terminology used in the discussions has been interpreted in a variety of different ways. However, there have been limited attempts to study the way in which teacher knowledge and beliefs develop in specific cases of language teaching methodology: one area o...

Citation Formats

E. Yeşilyurt, “Conceptual, structural and epistemic aspects of science teachers’ argumentation practices in the context of evolutionary theory,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2014.